Old Lurcher Photo Colouring

[low plains drifter 10,619]

Here is some rare archive footage of  Scipio Africanus

 

[tatsblisters 9,949]

9 hours ago, jukel123 said:

I was just reading about war dogs. The bull cross in the first photo would have been used to carry messages between the trenches. The army had a special training school. 

Proper war dogs ( bloodthirsty mastiff types) were used in battle by the Romans and others . I wonder how they trained them to differentiate between the enemy and themselves in the heat of battle? Scent?

The old man who did his national service in the Royal vetinary core and was stationed in the middle east said his dog that he had the whole time would change its demeanour when Arabs were about obliviously picking up on the old man's body language when they came across them. 

[comanche 3,038]

14 hours ago, jukel123 said:

I was just reading about war dogs. The bull cross in the first photo would have been used to carry messages between the trenches. The army had a special training school. 

Proper war dogs ( bloodthirsty mastiff types) were used in battle by the Romans and others . I wonder how they trained them to differentiate between the enemy and themselves in the heat of battle? Scent?

From the old carvings it looks like they acted a bit like modern personal  protection dogs . Imagine trying to take-on this chap as he advanced toward you!

I have a book somewhere about the  War Dog training schools in WW1 .

Apparently lots of people donated their pets to the Army, either because of food shortages or through patriotism. 

A high percentage of these donated pets proved unsuitable during the six  weeks of training  and were unceremoniously shot .   

Some of the  lucky ones were enlisted to guard military camps . Others  went to the front with duties such as search and rescue , carrying medical and other kit , giving   early warning of enemy movements  , carrying   messages or laying field phone lines from cable reels strapped   to their backs .

Interestingly it seems dogs captured from the enemy could be persuaded to change sides and work for their captors.

Spaniels ,collies, lurchers and especially airdales were particularly  suitable apparently. 

Edited January 10 by comanche

[jukel123 8,290]

1 hour ago, comanche said:

From the old carvings it looks like they acted a bit like modern personal  protection dogs . Imagine trying to take-on this chap as he advanced toward you!

I have a book somewhere about the  War Dog training schools in WW1 .

Apparently lots of people donated their pets to the Army, either because of food shortages or through patriotism. 

A high percentage of these donated pets proved unsuitable during the six  weeks of training  and were unceremoniously shot .   

Some of the  lucky ones were enlisted to guard military camps . Others  went to the front with duties such as search and rescue , carrying medical and other kit , giving   early warning of enemy movements  , carrying   messages or laying field phone lines from cable reels strapped   to their backs .

Interestingly it seems dogs captured from the enemy could be persuaded to change sides and work for their captors.

Spaniels ,collies, lurchers and especially airdales were particularly  suitable apparently. 

That makes much more sense. A leashed dog is somehow more courageous and can be targeted. I had a GSD which would lick you to death except when she was chained. Then she became serious. 

I wonder how many war dogs were captured and then sent back to their home trench carrying gas or grenades?. Doesn't  bear thinking about.

 

[comanche 3,038]

6 minutes ago, jukel123 said:

That makes much more sense. A leashed dog is somehow more courageous and can be targeted. I had a GSD which would lick you to death except when she was chained. Then she became serious. 

I wonder how many war dogs were captured and then sent back to their home trench carrying gas or grenades?. Doesn't  bear thinking about.

 

Eek. Especially if they were cable- laying dogs . Run em back to their home trench with explosives and press thr plunger!

A friend's  lad who served  in more recent war zones said that they avoided stray dogs  and even donkeys in case they were booby trapped!

[jukel123 8,290]

Captain Mainwearing would not approve! Sneaky, bloody foreigners.

[Goly 542]

1 hour ago, jukel123 said:

That makes much more sense. A leashed dog is somehow more courageous and can be targeted. I had a GSD which would lick you to death except when she was chained. Then she became serious. 

I wonder how many war dogs were captured and then sent back to their home trench carrying gas or grenades?. Doesn't  bear thinking about.

 

My particular breed became part of the local cuisine in Japan during WW2, needs must I suppose.

[mC HULL 12,918]

1 hour ago, Goly said:

My particular breed became part of the local cuisine in Japan during WW2, needs must I suppose.

suppose to taste like kebab lol

[Black neck 16,022]

3 hours ago, jukel123 said:

Captain Mainwearing would not approve! Sneaky, bloody foreigners.

Don't tell him.pike

[gasaxeman 167]

The russians in ww2 strapped explosives to the back of dogs as they had been trained to feed under tanks then let them loose on the Germans think this tactic was used in the siege of stalingrad. 

[Black neck 16,022]

1 hour ago, gasaxeman said:

The russians in ww2 strapped explosives to the back of dogs as they had been trained to feed under tanks then let them loose on the Germans think this tactic was used in the siege of stalingrad. 

Bet there working career wernt that long 

[Goly 542]

42 minutes ago, Black neck said:

Bet there working career wernt that long 

Longer than a whippets? 

[eastcoast 4,154]

On 10/01/2025 at 12:37, comanche said:

From the old carvings it looks like they acted a bit like modern personal  protection dogs . Imagine trying to take-on this chap as he advanced toward you!

I have a book somewhere about the  War Dog training schools in WW1 .

Apparently lots of people donated their pets to the Army, either because of food shortages or through patriotism. 

A high percentage of these donated pets proved unsuitable during the six  weeks of training  and were unceremoniously shot .   

Some of the  lucky ones were enlisted to guard military camps . Others  went to the front with duties such as search and rescue , carrying medical and other kit , giving   early warning of enemy movements  , carrying   messages or laying field phone lines from cable reels strapped   to their backs .

Interestingly it seems dogs captured from the enemy could be persuaded to change sides and work for their captors.

Spaniels ,collies, lurchers and especially airdales were particularly  suitable apparently. 

 

[Goly 542]

15 minutes ago, eastcoast said:

 

A shame when you have to import them from the States to get a decent one. 

[eastcoast 4,154]

5 hours ago, Goly said:

A shame when you have to import them from the States to get a decent one.